Know your enemy
by Morgana Makaber
Summary: book 1 chapter 6 Imprisoned    Let's see what happens if Zuko investigates the prison ship sooner. I guess Haru might get a little jealous.
1. If anything can go wrong, it will!

Her plan had failed. Sad and lonely Katara laid under her blanket, pretending to sleep. She was going it over and over in her head.

„Why didn't anybody react to my speech, not even Haru. I want to help him so badly, after all it was all my fault that he got arrested anyway.

It won't be long than Sokka and Aang will be here to get me. What am I going to say to them. I can't just hop onto Appa and fly away. Leaving all theses people here in their misery. I need to do something, anything.

Why wouldn't they listen to me? They've all given up hope.

Maybe I could fight the wards all by myself. The earthbender have no earth to bend, all right; but there is plenty of water to bend for me. If I play it right and be real fast it could work. I practiced a lot with Aang, I'm way better than a few weeks ago.

All I have to do is concentrate and wait for the right moment. There won't be any second chances, of that fact I'm sure. They have to learn that I'm a waterbender while they get frozen or be whipped off this ship, or else... I'm toast."

* * *

While Katara's thought kept spinning, only a few miles away Zuko got the message of some strange events on a certain prison ship...

A recently arrested girl from the Watertribe, who posed as an earthbender, tried to start a riot by talking about the Avatar...

This was something that needed to be investigated. Instructions were shouted and the ship was turned.

Every time Zuko got information about the Avatar he got rather agitated, it started to annoy the crew. A dozen times already they had to change direction and every time it lead to nothing. This time would be no different.

* * *

„The time's up, we have to get her back. This whole thing is crazy, what was I thinking anyway to let her do that?"

„Don't be to hard on yourself buddy. You couldn't have stopped her, no matter what you've tried. I know my sister, if she is like that, nothing can change her mind. You could only make her mad, or madder.

Well, I told her she got twelve hours, so we should keep our word and go'n get her back, even if we have to drag her by her hair loopies." with that the two friends mounted Appa. With a determined "Yip yip!" they started their well planned rescue operation.

* * *

Katara heard a commotion from the bridge deck. Bright hot fear clenched her heart. Did the wards capture her brother and Aang?

„Oh, please no!" she prayed. „This whole adventure went all wrong. Why did that old man betray us? Why wasn't he thankful he got rescued? How could anybody be like that? And then my feeble attempt to rescue Haru. Did I really think some motivating words could make a difference to this people? Why didn't I think of a backup plan? What if Aang falls into the clutches of the Fire Nation because of this?"

The voices came nearer, she finally could understand some of the words.

„This girl is a troublemaker, she might not look like much, but you'd better be careful."

„Don't be a fool! She got disenchanted already, soon we'll have broken her spirit too." that was the warden, she would recognize his voice anytime.

There was a third voice too, but it was very soft and hushed, Katara didn't understand a word that third person said.

Katara was sure they talked about her and prepared for the worst. Maybe she got punished now for her attempts earlier.

What would three gruesome Fire Nation soldiers do to a girl like her? She had heard stories, frightening stories, about men forcing themselves onto young women.

Or maybe they'll cut of her hands so she can't bend anymore. Katara broke into a sweat and her heart throbbed like crazy.

When she felt a hand on her back she let out a little yelp.

„Shh, it's only me"

„Oh, Haru! You scared me half to death. They are coming for me. Oh my god, what are they going to do to me?" Katara was frantic.

„Father said you shouldn't worry too much. The warden is a gruesome and brutal man, but at least he hadn't killed any of his prisoners yet." Haru tried to sooth her, but failed miserably.

„Please, go" Katara urged „You've suffered enough because of me. I don't want you to get into even more trouble. And let's be realistic, you couldn't stop them anyway. So PLEASE go back before they are here."

Almost invisible Haru slid out of sight, just in time before the men reached Katara.

* * *

**Authors note:**

**It's been a long time since I wrote a line**. **This is a small attemp**t **for a comeback. I just have to write something else to get back into it without ruining the story I started so long ago. **

**I hope I manage to keep writing and to finish this and my other story**. **Wish me luck.**

**It would also be nice to get a little bit of feedback - what you liked, or if this whole thing is simply boring... **

**I'm still not sure where I want to go with this story, or how long it will turn out to get. I might change a lot, just be warned.  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Drifting thoughts

**Chapter 2: Drifting thoughts are sometimes hard to bear  
**

* * *

Katara didn't dare to move. She held her breath waiting for the inevitable to happen.

In her mind she was going through her options, while this place was ok for sleeping, it was a catastrophe for fighting.

When she chose this place she thought how she would be shielded from the harsh wind by the metal walls around her, now she regretted her decision. She should have stayed near the ships rail, near the ocean, near her only weapon.

No need to dwell on that, she had to find a new strategy. She wouldn't just go with them and let them do what ever they deemed right with her. She would fight them tooth and nail; hopefully they'll lead her into the range of accessible water.

"Here she is" the warden said, when he was standing directly in front of Katara.

Without a warning he kicked her in the ribs.

"Get up, peasant, here is a visitor who demands to see you!"

Katara rolled onto her knees, holding her side, willing the pain to subside. She raised her head , opened her eyes and looked strait into the face of her least favorite firebender.

"_Oh great, what else can go wrong_" she thought bitterly. Not wanting to kneel before him, Katara stood up, ignoring the pain.

"Zuko" Katara spat his name as if it was something ugly in her moth – and for her it was - "I should have known it was you."

Ignoring her words Zuko turned to the warden "This is the girl I was looking for. I need to interrogate her, in a more private place if it's possible."

He didn't want to set more people on the Avatars trail, to have Zhao as a competitor was enough to handle.

Raising one eyebrow and smirking as if he'd heard something deliciously dirty the warden answered "You want some privacy with the girl, hm" his voice dripping of false kindness.

Turning to Katara he barked "You heard our Lordship, follow me!"

Katara had hoped she could get them all together in a row, so that when they neared the rails she could freeze them all in one fell swoop.

But of course Zuko wouldn't fall for that, he knew what she was capable of and wouldn't let her out of his sight.

While the warden lead the way he walked behind the girl trapping her between them, ready to strike at every moment, if need be.

* * *

A few feet away a confused Haru tried to understand what was happening.

When Katara was brutally kicked he winced, almost felt the pain himself, but right after that nothing seemed to make sense.

Why did Katara know this firebender by name? What was their history? Why did he want to be alone with Katara?

Cold there be more to what the warden was implying?

Haru had noticed the way Zuko looked at Katara, watching her every move and it irked him, no man was supposed to look at Katara that way.

Aren't they supposed to be enemies anyway?

This was all very peculiar and he didn't like it, no, not one bit.

* * *

Two more pairs of eyes followed the scene from their hiding place on the other side of the ship, worried eyes.

"We can't just stay here and do nothing, Sokka!"

"Wait Aang, we have to stay put..."

"What and just watch while they mistreat her? We've got to get her out of here."

"No Aang, calm down. I don't like this either, but rushing in there now would just make matters worse."

"I don't see how. It would be three against three, we got the element of surprise, the chances are good."

"Not good enough. What about all this people Katara desperately wants to save? If this goes wrong they will pay the price, they are more or less defenceless. Do you remember Kyoshi Island?"

"Sokka, you are a genius!"

"Hu, because I remind you of an island that almost got completely destroyed because of you?"

"What? No! And it was NOT my fault, it was Zuko's. No, I meant we just show up and lead Zuko away."

"I'm sure this would work Aang, but it wouldn't help Katara, not in the long run. She is on a mission here. If it fails because we intervened we'll never hear the end of it."

"And what do you suggest we do instead?"

"We go back to the village, come up with a plan that helps Katara AND the prisoners on this ship and just before sunrise we come back."

"WHAT!"

"Shhhh, Aang. They are going to hear us. Katara will be fine."

"How can you be so sure? Didn't you see how she's treated here? What if it gets worse?"

"It won't, believe me. Katara knew this could get hard it was a risk she was willing to take.

And if they really make her mad she's gonna be one hell of a fighter. Last time I saw her being furious she blew up a giant iceberg and she wasn't even trying to bend; that was how we found you by the way.

So really the one you should be worrying for are the guys who are foolish enough to anger my little sister."

"But Zuko..."

"You know what? My instinct tells me he's not much interested in hurting people as long as it doesn't lead to your imprisonment.

So as long as he doesn't know that we know that he's got Katara, she should be safe."

"You logic makes me feel dizzy. I really hope you are right. I have a bad feeling about leaving her behind."

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Lots of thinking, little action, I know. I hope you liked it anyway.**

** Please let me know what you think.**


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